Back on the train gang

I love when people share. It just warms my heart. Last nigh the couple in our alcove of this train shared their dinner. Ladyfingers, which is what we call okra, and roti, and chilis! So in Indian culture, you have to decline the offer of food at first.

The host will offer again, and if you really don't want it, it's ok to refuse. But it's also cool to accept at second offer. Katie and I declined as proper, then the rest of the family was served, and it came back to us again. We partook. I offered our peanut butter and crackers, twice, but was informed that it was too high in cholesterol. Oh, sweet peanut butter. You're such a devil!

Also, before bed, the gent removed his turban. Given how full his beard is, I expected a quaff. To my surprise, he gathered the few tiny strips of red hair from all over his head and tied them into a speck of a bun on the top of his head. Like, head gear rubber band small.

So off the train at maybe 5:30 am, Udaipur. Wake up! You're in a new city. Stumbling out of the train headed to the taxi stand, we were greeted by a petite, bald Indian man in a plaid snap shirt, dark pants, and cowboy boots. He told us he'd drive us to our hotel. I told him that we'd be fine on our own and kept on to the taxi stand. The man called out that it wasn't open yet. But I, of course, persisted. Again, the man, "I am not lying to you. I cannot lie." So I asked him how much. Sixty-four rupees. I laughed. When I booked the hotel the day prior, they quoted eighty/ninety rupees. So, instead of charging a buck fiddy, this guy is going charge us $1.27. What a trip. Oh, and just so you know, the taxi stand gate was down and locked. I checked.

In the cab, technically auto-rickshaw, Jamil showed us his book as is often the case in tourist spots. Notes from travelers all over the world written to Jamil for Jamil. Endorsements. Pages of them.

He got us to Jaiwana Haveli. just fine, and as we got out, he told us to pay him later. Wow. Twenty minutes

in and we've already started a tab! Our room not yet ready, we headed to the rooftop cafe for some breakfast. Talk about views. Udaipur is breath-taking. Hills of white houses, hotels, temples all looking out over a huge lake. Fresh air, blue sky...if ever there were a place for lovers...Oh! And James Bond! Octopussy was filmed in Udaipur. And there are nightly rooftops showings dotting the hills. The posh Lake Palace Hotel floats in the middle of the lake.

A palace built in the 1700s, it is a destination. At least, we can see it from our hotel window. Our hotel is nice. Nothing fancy, but nice. The rooftop cafe and terrace is such a bonus. Oh, and the fobs for our room keys are small brass elephants.